A Heart's Composition
by CelestialCircumference
Summary: Written for the Poe Challenge at the KakaSaku LJ Comm.  As of 2.5.2011 - Final chapter posted. NOW COMPLETE. Final voting to happen soon. Thank you everyone for reading!
1. Chapter 1

CC: Hey everyone! This was written for the Poe Challenge at the KakaSaku LJ comm. We're given a different theme each week and have to write our interpretation of it. As long as the central theme is the topic of that week and Kakashi and Sakura are the main characters we're pretty much good to go. Every week, there will be voting and half of the competitors will be wiped out until only one remains. It's like KakaSaku death matches, lol. Voting opens every Saturday at the comm so check out the other participants (I'm a little early methinks) and vote for your favorite fics! I want to thank the ever awesome zelha and nimblnymph for putting this together. Good luck to everyone participating and I can't wait to read the mass amounts of win that I'm sure this contest will produce!

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Week One Theme/Topic: The Tell-Tale Heart

Sakura sat in the dusty office feeling like a poor imitation of Kakashi with the sterile mask over her face. Speaking of Kakashi, she glanced over her shoulder at him and was disappointed to see that he was still turned away from her, back straight. She sighed and hastily pushed a box to the side only to stir up a frenzy of dust. She angrily swatted at the dust storm which did nothing but kick up more. Her shoulders slumped, she couldn't take it anymore.

She turned around. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, Sakura I'm not mad," he answered.

"But then-"

There was a firm clearing of a throat and Sakura sheepishly looked up at Shizune who was standing guard in the doorway, although she considered it more like baby sitting. "Get back to work Sakura, I'd like to leave at some point today," she stated.

"I can talk and work at the same time."

"You heard Tsunade's orders - work only, no lunch break, no talking, no joking. She said that silence would do you some good. This space hasn't been touched for years and it's your job to clean it up."

Kakashi decided then was the perfect time to pipe up. "Well, if this is her job may I leave?"

Both women glared at him and Sakura smacked him over the head with a folder, which only scattered more dust and grime.

"Work. Now," Shizune ordered.

Sakura huffed and returned to sorting through the boxes. She blamed Kakashi, not fully but she felt he deserved some of it. It had all started when he kissed her anyway. Their relationship had been simple until then.

Before the kiss they had been equals, partners, friends … friends who did friendly things like eat together and have drinks together. They confided in each other and occasionally they flirted. It was all rather harmless. But a kiss? Kisses were rarely harmless in Sakura's opinion. After all, it wasn't some simple peck on the cheek or atop her head. No, it was a heated molding of lips and tongue. It had left her feeling very warm and very confused.

It didn't help that they were shipped off on a mission together just days later. Things went off without a hitch and, in a move that was unusual for Kakashi, he suggested they celebrate. Sakura was hesitant, he had to have something up his sleeve, but she agreed anyway.

The night led to a good meal, strong locally made drink, and the inevitable confrontation of what exactly happened between them and just what the hell it meant. It resulted in Sakura waking the next morning curled up next to an equally naked Copy Nin.

The return journey home was, for lack of a better word, nice. Now that all of the pulsing sexual tension had been expelled there was no more awkwardness between them. They talked freely, and shared canteens, and Kakashi enjoyed rations much more when they were fed to him by a beautiful kunoichi.

It wasn't until they neared Konoha that nervousness began to pool in her stomach. What happened now? It was much easier to be together when no one was watching or judging. Did they keep it a secret? Was it a one time thing? Kakashi looked as calm as ever and she supposed that if ninety percent of her face were covered, she'd be able to pull it off as well.

Upon entering the village, Kakashi saw her home and then they parted ways after he answered some of her inner questions with a kiss.

As days passed Sakura couldn't help but feel tense around some of her friends. What if they figured it out? Naruto could be a little dense sometimes but he was surprisingly brilliant when he wanted to be. As they sat eating ramen together one day, Kakashi showed up and Sakura hoped that he wasn't having one of those insightful moments. Naruto blabbered on and on and Sakura found herself hypnotized by Kakashi's gaze, tuning her friend out.

"Oi Sakura! Didn't you hear me?"

Embarrassed about being caught unawares, she growled as she turned to him. "Of course I heard you! Everyone in a five mile radius can hear you!"

"So, what do you think?"

She could have sworn she saw Kakashi smirk under that damned mask. Feeling her cheeks grow warm she forced out a quick reply, "I think you need to quit reading so many comics!" She huffed and quickly stood, excusing herself before anything she did could give her away.

Naruto looked at Kakashi. "Girls can really be strange, huh Kaka-sensei?"

"Sometimes, yes."

"What does me reading comics have anything to do with a present for Hinata?"

"You've got me," he replied and then decided to mess with his former student. "Perhaps it's a code and you have to figure it out."

"Hmm … eh! She left without paying!" Naruto felt a slight breeze and quickly turned to the side to find that Kakashi had left him there alone. "Kaka-sensei!"

.oOo.

Sakura locked herself in her room and took a deep breath. She just had to calm down. Being around Kakashi _and_ her friends at the same time was proving to be difficult. The way he looked at her with that lone eye, so dark and intense. He may appear indifferent to everyone else but she could see so much there. It was amazing how expressive the eyes could be.

With a sigh she could imagine the smoldering gaze he had pinned her with in the bedroom. It had her feeling excited, enchanted even. That coupled with the lazily spinning Sharingan … She snapped herself out of the memory. It wouldn't do to get caught up in any fantasies, especially when it concerned something as taboo as what they did.

It didn't help that Ino was, unfortunately, perceptive of anything that made Sakura's behavior changed. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep such a secret from your best friend? When they met for their usual Wednesday lunch, Ino could tell right away that something was up.

"There's something different about you Forehead, and sadly it's not your actual forehead," Ino stated plainly.

Sakura subconsciously rubbed the supposed offending space above her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll figure it out."

That could _not_ happen, but Ino was good at holding up her end of a promise, especially if it had anything to do with a secret - and even more so if it was gossip-worthy. Yet Ino didn't ask any questions right away and Sakura was grateful. She let her friend talk away as they sipped tea, learning that she was having problems with a new technique that Shizune was trying to teach her and that the last guy she had dated was a 'total loser in the sack.'

The mere mentioning of sex made the tips of Sakura's ears turn red. As her friend went into great detail of her horrific experience of faking an orgasm, all she could think of were the oh-so very real ones she had been succumbed to. There were pictures flowing through her short circuited brain; thoughts of his long fingers and how they deftly worked the buttons and clasps on her clothes, images of his broad shoulders and how they fit between her thighs … lean muscles, strong chest, husky voice.

"Oh my gods Forehead!" Ino squealed snapping her out of her daze.

"What?"

"You were thinking about sex!"

"Could you be any louder?" Sakura hissed at her.

"Who was it? Come on, tell me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, really."

"Oh please, you were practically drooling all over the table just thinking about it. So who was it? Is it someone from the village?" She gasped. "Did you sleep with Kiba?"

"Kiba? Are you off your rocker? Give me some credit."

Ino wasn't buying it and she interrogated her for a good twenty minutes. Thankfully, the check arrived and their lunch date was over and she could escape her insistent questioning.

Ino gave her a warning, "Don't think you've been saved. I'm going to find out. Guys, even the quietest ones, will still blab about their sexual conquests and if it's a guy in the village, I will hear about it."

'_Good luck,'_ Sakura thought. She knew Kakashi and she knew that he wouldn't tell anyone. This little secret of theirs would remain.

.oOo.

Sakura hadn't seen Kakashi in days now and she didn't want to admit it, but she really wanted to. It didn't even have to be for sex, although gods that would be great, just going to dinner again would be nice. She was really missing his company, so much so that it was affecting her sleep. She dreamt of him - often. They were innocent ones, dreams of flirty conversations or walking through the village at sunset. They were naughty ones, visions of him taking her roughly from behind or making love to her sweetly and how she loved that delicious sound he made when he came.

In the mornings, Sakura would wake yearning for him more than she did when she went to bed.

When she was summoned to Tsunade's office about a week later, she was surprised to see Kakashi there as well. Shizune stood there looking at them silently. Did she know something? She was anxious and her heart thumped heavily.

"Have a seat Sakura."

"Is everything okay, shishou?" she asked as she took a seat next to Kakashi. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw him smile at her. Was his heart not pounding nervously like hers?

"Just fine. I was sorting through some mission logs and I came across one in particular. That's why I called you and Kakashi here, I was hoping you two could explain this to me and clear it up."

This worried Sakura. Something else was going on, she was sure of it.

"It's about your most recent mission together …"

'_Oh no, she knows! I should have known Tsunade would figure something like this out. What if she caught wind of Ino asking questions and she called Kakashi in to question him and he told her the truth and now she wants me here to divvy up our punishment….'_ Sakura's mind was racing.

"I've already spoken to Kakashi and he's told me about what happened …"

'_Oh crap! She knows! She knows! Think of something Sakura!'_ She was coming up empty and her heart was thudding, increasing in speed and sound. To her, it was nearly deafening, the others must have been able to hear it as well.

"Are you okay, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, studying her with her sharp taupe eyes.

"I … I-I'm alright," she stammered, feeling quite uneasy under her stare.

"Are you sure?" The emphasis put on the word 'sure' was not missed.

She couldn't stand it any longer. She stood from her seat. "I slept with Kakashi!"

Sakura gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, unable to look away from her master. The room was eerily silent and then she was really sure that everyone else could hear the pounding of her heart now. Then Tsunade broke out into a fit of laughter. Sakura slowly moved to glance at Shizune to see a worried look upon her face. Then she glanced at Kakashi who wore the same expression as always. Did he not understand how serious this was?

She was done for. She had effectively caused her mentor to go crazy, she was going to get demoted for sure.

"Shishou?"

That was when Tsunade immediately ceased to laugh and ordered Shizune to take them to the warehouse. Sakura and Kakashi spent nine solid hours cleaning and organizing and when they were finally let out for the day, it was to find that the sun had already set and stars twinkled in the sky.

Kakashi nudged her with his elbow. "Lets go get something to eat."

"Really?"

He picked up on her doubtful tone. "Do you not want to? Are you on a diet?"

She shook her head. "No, I just … I can't believe that I told her and got us in trouble."

He chuckled and she stopped and stared at him as if he had suffered from temporary insanity. "Stop laughing!"

"Sakura, if we were really in trouble do you think we would have been tasked with something so mundane and boring as organizing files in a warehouse?"

She thought about his question. "I suppose not."

"Besides, now that it's over I guess I should let you in on what's happened."

"Wait! Let me in? Kakashi …"

"I went to Tsunade yesterday and told her that even though I believe in privacy and what happens between me and other people of the village is strictly my business, I thought she should know about us before rumors reached her. Tsunade told me that she wouldn't take strict disciplinary action if you came out and told her about us as well. She's actually quite happy for you."

"So when she called me in … you knew already?"

He nodded and then thought that perhaps he should have kept her in the dark as he watched the shock and relief and then more shock cross her features.

He reached out and gingerly touched her shoulder. "Sakura?"

Suddenly, her fist came flying and made contact with his chest. "You jerk! You could have warned me! I was on the verge of fainting in there! Do you have any idea how badly I was panicking on the inside? I thought we were done for!"

He rubbed his chest and couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "And yet things turned out just fine, didn't they?"

Sakura huffed and dropped her fists. She stared at him for a long moment, her gaze locking with his and once again she could read all the things he wasn't saying aloud. He was sorry, but he was happy and there was a flame behind his look that said he was done waiting for when they were alone together again.

She took a step away from him and then looked back at him over her shoulder. "You're paying for dinner, come on."

He grinned under his mask and took up his place beside her.


	2. 2

CC: So this is for week two's prompt of the Poe Contest at the KakaSaku LJ Comm. I've had lots of fun writing for this challenge. I had two done up for this one, but I chose this one to enter with because it was the initial idea I had for it. Maybe I'll put up the other at a later time. Thanks to everyone who left some feedback for week one's entry, I really appreciated it all!

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Week Two Theme/Prompt: A Dream Within A Dream  
Warnings: Char Death & Angst. Word.  
Word Count: 2,266

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Well I made it through another day  
In my cold room  
On scraps and pieces left behind  
I survive on the memory of you ...

.oOo.

"Hell~ooo." Her soft voice invaded his dreamless sleep like the delicate tendrils of ivy climbing the walls of a once thriving district of Konoha.

Kakashi could feel himself being pulled from slumber, but he resisted opening his eyes. His nose picked up the faint smell of toast and eggs … and her shampoo. Another discreet sniff and he could pick up the underlying fragrance of the soap they shared. She always smelled so lovely out of the shower.

"You're so lazy," she muttered, amused as fingers threaded into his locks. She wasn't angry with him. The great Copy Nin wasn't as lazy as some people perceived him to be, so these mornings when he was allowed some respite from the dangers of the shinobi world were greatly enjoyed.

He felt the bed dip and her familiar weight and warmth settle in beside him. He felt the swell of her breasts through her shirt as she pressed against him and the smoothness of her leg as she rubbed it over one of his own. As her small hand moved down the side of his face and to his bare chest, he caught her arm. In a move that came with a lifetime of being devious and agile, he rolled them over.

She laughed as their bodies turned and she was left partially atop him, her curtain of pink hair veiling him from the sun peeking in through the bedroom window.

"I knew you were awake," she stated.

His eyes remained closed and he sighed contently. "Mm, I'm not awake. I'm still asleep."

"Oh really?" she asked, disbelief clearly lacing her voice, but she would still play along.

"Mhmm." He gave the slightest of nods.

"So Hatake, Kakashi talks in his sleep? Perhaps I could discover some great secrets…"

He cold practically _feel_ her perk up at the idea. "My mind is an impenetrable fortress, protected like Konoha behind its great walls. Seems like you're out of luck."

Her lips hovered at his ear. "Seems you forgot I can punch through walls."

He chuckled and she smiled. "Now he laughs in his sleep? Unbelievable."

His arms circled her and he could feel her warmth through the silky top. He tilted his head and pressed his lips to the sensitive underside of her jaw. The tips of his fingers grasped the ends of her hair as she kissed him sweetly up his cheek.

She placed a kiss to his brow. "Breakfast is getting cold. Come on, it's time to wake up."

Kakashi's eyes shot open and instead of a loving green gaze meeting him, he was greeted by the drab ceiling. "Sakura?" he called out.

He felt his chest tighten and he subconsciously gripped the sheets tightly in his hands. It was foolish, but he remained still and strained to hear, to smell, anything.

No food, no sizzling, no dripping water.

He let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. His bones groaned as he sat up and he wearily rubbed at his eyes which had begun to water.

"Don't act this way," he muttered, unsure if he was referring to his eyes or to himself.

He got out of bed, casting a glance at her abandoned pillow - a reminder that she was no longer there. He dressed for the day, all of his necessities were somewhere upon him, and he went to the kitchen to get started on a late breakfast. He pulled a carton of milk from the fridge and didn't realize until he had poured a cup that he had taken down two glasses.

He hesitated, but then filled the second and set them both at the tiny table. She had insisted they buy it, it didn't "take up much room" and was the "perfect size" for the two of them. He ate quickly and quietly, the untouched glass mocking him.

He cleared away what few dishes he dirtied, but let the glass remain. For some reason, he couldn't brig himself to move it and the a fraction of a second, he could almost see her sitting there reaching for it. With a deep breath he left his apartment, letting the door slam behind him.

Konoha was still much the same as it was when Sakura walked the streets beside him. It was a village that thrummed with activity, but at a comfortable pace. It was one that you could easily get lost in, by accident or purposely, he would know. It used to be on accident when they were together but now-

He heard a chiming noise and he stopped in the street, his head turned in the direction of the sound. He was already near the Yamanaka's flower shop. The noise was from the door as Ino stepped out with a modest bouquet of white flowers. The breath caught in Kakashi's throat as he saw a head of pink beside her. He couldn't see her face though, but he was sure …

Once the people in front of him passed, he was stunned to see that the pink-haired girl was gone. Only Ino was there.

Ino had seen Kakashi stopped in the middle of the street and he was looking in her direction as if he had just seen a ghost. A moment later and he looked as impassive as he ever did, but Ino had always been talented in reading people. She waved at him and when he didn't return it, she gave a grim smile. She felt badly for him. Losing Sakura had been painful. Hell, there were times still that Ino found herself crying and she'd blame it on whatever was nearby, unwilling to admit she still missed her. But Kakashi? Kakashi looked as if he had barely coped. It broke Ino's heart to see him like that. She stubbornly wiped at a tear and continued about her way.

Kakashi forced himself to walk away, forced into his brain the notion that she was not there anymore.

That afternoon as Kakashi sat outside a café (not because he was eating or drinking, but because it was Wednesday and it had become a tradition of sorts for them) he heard a familiar laugh. He could pinpoint it in the crowd and the glimpses of golden hair and orange clothed arms merely confirmed it. By the time Naruto reached the café, Kakashi was across the street watching from the rooftops.

Naruto had his fingers laced behind his head and was grinning from ear to ear. Konohamaru was on one side and Hinata on the other and Hinata's sister was beside her. Even though he was smiling and laughing, there was a sadness to his step that he hadn't lost.

Kakashi sighed as he watched him pass. Facing Naruto was still the hardest. It wasn't as if he was running from his former student, he just avoided him where he could. Hinata placed her hand on his back and Kakashi felt ... happy for him, he decided. He had someone there for him, someone to make sure he smiled, to lighten his burden. That was good considering he had failed him. He failed each of his students in every sense of the word.

"_Damn it, Kakashi. Will you stop? You're not a failure." _He heard her voice echo in his ear. His head jerked to the side and he eyed the tiny bird that hopped along the roof. He groaned and put his head in his hand. He needed more sleep, but how could he rest when she haunted him in his dreams? How could he wake every morning and suffer losing her over and over?

He knew that the pain would eventually fade and he could handle the dull ache that would linger after - he had for most of his life. He knew that his friends cared for him as they always kept a watchful eye on him and even Gai and Genma had danced around the subject of Sakura with him. As good friends as they were, he didn't feel like sharing his memories of her with them, or anyone.

He eyed his friends through the amber liquid in his glass as he drank. With the amount of drink they supplied him with and how Gai would smile, he almost felt as if they were ... conspiring against him. Suddenly, Gai and Genma disappeared, leaving Kurenai to take on Kakashi by herself.

"So Kakashi," she started slowly, "how have you been?"

"Good."

"Really? Cause you look like you haven't eaten in days. I'm making dinner tomorrow for some of us … well, it's for Shikamaru, Akane, and myself, but I'd like it if you joined us."

Akane. He thought of the daughter that Asuma never had the chance to meet and it pained him with the idea he had kept to himself of green-eyed boys that he wanted to watch grow with Sakura one day.

Kakashi shrugged and without even considering her invite, he turned it down. "That's alright, it's something special for you and the Nara kid. I don't want to intrude."

"You're not intruding if you were invited. What would Sakura say if she saw how you-"

"So it's another one of these talks, is it?" he snapped. His voice was cold and Kurenai instantly picked up on his defensive attitude. He had already shut her out.

She sighed. "Kakashi, you've got to let her go. I know it's very difficult and I know it's not how you normally deal with things, but there are counselors …"

He abruptly stood. "Thanks, but no thank you all the same. I know what you're trying to do, but I'm doing okay. I don't need to talk to anyone," he said in his 'sensei-voice' - the one that meant his word was final.

He went to go, but turned back to her. "And tell that to the other two, will you?"

Kurenai locked her eyes with his. The sorrow that he was trapped in was nearly tangible and for a moment it was like looking at her past self. She wanted to help him, but how could she if he wouldn't let her?

Kakashi shifted under the weight of her stare. It was like she could see straight into him, it was uncomfortable. He made a hasty departure.

He ambled toward the cenotaph, much later. There was hardly anyone out at this hour save for the few whose job it was to keep patrol. The wee morning hours were cool and breezy, carrying many of Konoha's scents through the air. The bouquet of white flowers that he had seen Ino with earlier were laid upon the grass now. His jaw clenched.

He knew the locations of the names of the people he came here for by heart and as he stared upon the stone they seemed to jump at him. He felt his stomach twist.

Certainly not the newest, but still fresh, was the name he hadn't wanted to live to see added there; one he never wanted placed there at all. He dropped to his knees.

A steady hand, one that betrayed the turbulence that roared within him like angry waves battering the shore, smoothed across the lines of her name. Then Kakashi Hatake - of the most feared shinobi across the great countries - began to weep.

Why hadn't he been able to protect her? His fists clenched in the grass, pulling the stringy blades from the earth. She was another one … another name added to the list of those he let down. There were so many. All he wanted was one, just one that he could hold onto, save, cherish.

The tears streamed freely and soaked through the fabric of his hitai-ate and mask. He let out a strangled noise as he exhaled and gasped desperately for air. Her name blurred in his vision and another breeze swept through the clearing and over him. He could feel her slender fingers gently brush through his hair.

He could almost feel her pressed to his back.

He closed his eyes. "They say I should move on."

If Sakura was there, she remained quiet.

"Genma, he won't say it, but he's worried … because I can still smell you in the air-" He drew in a shaky breath. "-and because I can still hear your voice."

He slowly pushed himself to his feet and opened his fists. The blades of grass fluttered through his fingers to the ground. He roughly pulled down his mask and dried his face.

With the wind kissing his skin he looked upward. "I'm with you every night and it feels … it feels so _real_, like the life I'm living now without you is just a dream. Kurenai, she says I should let you go."

He gazed back down at the cenotaph, suddenly feeling exceptionally tired and weary. That was enough talking for the day it seemed. He reached behind him and from his pouch he took out her hitai-ate. He tenderly rubbed the red material between his fingers. He knew that it was possible that one day he would no longer feel the need to hold onto her. Thinking back on the others, he was almost tempted to set her hitai-ate down beside the flowers. Almost.

He tapped a finger against the metal protector. Not yet, he wasn't ready yet. He clutched it tightly in one hand and turned away. He let his feet carry him home, back to the place he shared with her. For now the reality he chose to embrace, it included Sakura, even if it was only in his dreams.


	3. 3 If This Is It

CC: I had originally given this an M rating for safety and I had been trying to stay away from anything too smutty and I've been pretty successful until now. It's nothing graphic, I assure you. After starting on this prompt _five_ different times, I finally just told myself, "Self, don't fight the muse, you can't win." So here's a thanks to my muse, Edge.  
I really appreciate all of the feedback that everyone has given me, it really means a lot. Thank you to everyone who read, considered, and voted for me in the Poe Challenge. It's been so much fun taking part in this and I'm happy to have made it this far. I'm excited to read what the other participants have conjured up. Good luck to everyone! This hasn't been beta read so any mistakes are mine alone. I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, I just like making them do my bidding.

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Week/Prompt Three: Only This & Nothing More  
Title: If This Is It  
Word count: 4,139

* * *

The morning that Sakura woke to a man still asleep beside her - the man whose hair she wanted to comb her fingers through, the one she wanted to make breakfast for, the man she wanted in her bed when she drifted off to sleep again - she was terrified.

It wasn't ever supposed to end up this way.

Over the years they had come to see each other less as student and teacher and more as comrades, partners. It was playful at first, they were just friends after all. Well, she considered them to be friends. Sometimes she thought he only saw her as a free meal or hassle-free medical help, but he always happened to be there when she needed someone.

She supposed it all started out of comfort, curiosity, and perhaps a little loneliness. Off handed comments morphed into compliments, which turned into flirting which lead to daring touches. Every time Sakura and Kakashi were together they tested the boundaries. Where was the line that neither of them would cross? At what point was it enough?

The truth was, it was never enough. He would lean over to say something to her and his warm breath on her ear along with a seemingly innocent touch to her leg was all it took to send chills over her body. If only his hand would move a little … and when his hand finally did slide higher, she only smiled coyly at him and returned the gesture. She wasn't afraid to touch him back and she wanted him to know it.

Kakashi was a brilliant man and he heard her unspoken words loud and clear, the request that hid in her eyes when she looked at him. It was like a game, one that he would gladly play with her. Night after night, week after week, their conversation would be full of innuendo; the bravery of their tongues increased by the drink they shared, by the challenge in the other's tone. Yet there was never any follow through. The point in the evening when it came time for her to slip out after him, or he after her, they merely said goodbye and went their separate ways.

There were nights when those looks he gave her emblazoned themselves in her mind, when she felt warm and tingly after crawling into bed alone and could still faintly smell him on her. There were nights that she told herself it wasn't a big deal if she conjured up his face as her fingers danced under the blankets between her thighs. It didn't mean anything if she whimpered and gasped his name as she hit that glorious high.

There were nights that she wondered, as she settled into the pillows, if maybe he thought of her as he brought himself to climax.

'_Don't be stupid,'_ her inner self would chastise.

Still, it wasn't like she would mind if he did …

Which was fine, considering those same nights Kakashi would often find himself shut in his tiny bathroom grunting his release - her green eyes clouding his vision.

Sakura could remember exactly how they managed to fall into bed together the first time.

She had been at the local watering hole. The whole gang was in the village which was a rarity these days and they were taking full advantage of it. She hadn't seen Sai in ages it seemed and Yamato was another face she always liked seeing more of. She had been sitting next to Kakashi, drinks were coming in steadily thanks to Naruto and they were all sharing stories. She remembered feeling Kakashi's hand on her knee and him saying something about bed head due to Naruto's story - although it had a very different tone in her ears.

Out of nowhere Ino appeared, said hi and pulled her up from her seat, saying she had met this guy that she wanted to introduce her to. Mumbling a _"be right back"_ Sakura let Ino pull her toward the bar and to a couple of guys. She cast a look back over her shoulder as Ino introduced them and didn't catch their names. Sakura blushed as Ino threw her arm over her shoulder and started chatting up her stats, groaning when she mentioned how she had _finally _grown into her forehead. Even when Ino was trying to do something she considered nice for her, she still always had to throw something like that in there. Even though she appreciated the gesture, she wanted to get back to her team, _to Kakashi_.

"So how about it, Sakura?"

She blinked. How about what? "Eh …"

Ino huffed. "Come have a drink with us."

"But I have a drink over there with-"

"Oh, they'll be fine without you for a bit. Come on." Ino then leaned a little closer to her friend. "Chiaki has been staring at you like a horny dog ever since you came over here. I'm doing you a favor."

Which one was Chiaki? Sakura didn't know. All she knew was that neither of the men really held her interest. She had to make an escape.

"Well …"

Suddenly the man closest to her, the one with red hair and a cocky smirk (whom she presumed to be the horny dog), reached out and took up a lock of her hair. Sakura froze. What did he think he was doing?

"I've never been with a pinkie before, such an exotic hair color for a kunoichi. It really suits you."

"Could you-"

"What are you drinking?"

She glared at him. "Shochu."

He grinned and tucked her hair back in place before turning around and ordering more shochu. Little did she know that Kakashi had seen the whole exchange and had taken it for what it absolutely wasn't.

Sakura turned to Ino and faked a smile. "I'm going to go to the bathroom and grab my drink and then I'll meet you."

"Okay!" Ino beamed. She looked so happy that Sakura almost felt bad that she was going to leave her hanging. She made a beeline for the bathrooms away from the noise and smoke and dogs named Chiaki.

She took a deep breath once she was ready to come out. She'd sneak back over to her boys and hide from Ino and continue on with her night. Hopefully her friend would forget … not that it was likely, but Ino did surprise her from time to time. She opened the door and walked out - and only made it about five steps before she was grabbed. Before she could even raise her fist, a set of lips were placed firmly on hers. Eyes wide, her back roughly met with the wall and a warm body pressed to hers.

The situation was so strange and the person was so familiar, but still that did nothing to quell the shock. When Kakashi finally relinquished her mouth, he stared at her long and hard. A challenge.

Without breaking his gaze she put her hands on his shoulders and raised onto her tiptoes. "Your place or mine?"

"Yours."

She nodded and started to walk back to the front of the bar when he stopped her. "They think I've left and that you've abandoned them to spend time with Ino."

She almost cringed. That made her sound awful didn't it? Still, he gestured to the back entrance and they snuck away into the night, thoughts of their friends forgotten.

Inside her room they became a frenzy of hands, removing clothes once they passed the door. Metal of their hitai-ate and weapons thunked as they hit the floor, zippers flew and bindings came undone. In between it all, they had hatched out a few specifics.

"No kissing on the lips."

"Okay. No eye contact."

"Fine. You have to be gone in the morning."

"Of course. It's just sex."

"Only this."

"And nothing more."

She was quiet for a moment. "Nothing more."

Then it happened. He wasn't the biggest she had seen, but he fit her so well. He was talented, he knew exactly where to touch her and she knew the perfect angle of her hips to maximize both of their pleasure. It wasn't mind blowing; it didn't make her ears ring and he didn't see stars, but it was satisfying. Kami was it satisfying - three times.

Until the moment she opened her eyes she had thought it all a dream. Yet she could pick up his familiar scent as she stirred awake. It was all around her. He held up his end of the deal and was gone. Her bed was a mess and she was still naked.

"Definitely not a dream," she murmured as she sat up. If she were to keep this a secret then she needed to wash her bedding. She groaned, she didn't feel like doing laundry at all.

It was another week before she found Kakashi in her bed again.

Then four days.

Then three.

Only once all obligations were met did they make time for each other, the few hours that they had. Every night was familiar, yet new - casual, yet intense.

As time passed, Sakura found herself wanting to look into his eyes, wishing that he would break one rule and just kiss her. As soon as she started thinking that way, she should have ended it. She just couldn't bring herself to. '_It's just sex,'_ she would tell herself again and again, but the gentle caress of his fingers on her skin after they were done conveyed so much more emotion that something as simple as sex should allow. Perhaps he was feeling more for her as well? Or maybe she was merely imagining it all.

As their secret meetings continued so did life around them. There were still missions to take, people to protect, and patients to heal. Sakura never once forgot how their lives were and what dangers could await them.

The next night that Kakashi came to her, something was off. He had made it back home from a mission and although he wouldn't tell her, she knew that whatever happened was bothering him. She asked him again as he tore the clothes from her, but he only murmured that it wasn't important. Whatever it was, Sakura comforted him in the way she knew how; in the way he'd allow her to. The unspoken hurt, anguish, and relief poured through his every touch, through every thrust of his hips.

More than once, his lips hovered at hers in contemplation but he'd always pull away in the last moment as if suddenly remembering that there were rules. He held her so tightly. He was rough, needy, desperate even and it worried her. Things were going to be okay. She told him with her soft kisses against his neck, with her arms wrapped around him, with her every gasp and moan.

.oOo.

Ino was having a bad day and all she wanted was someone to let her raid the freezer and let her rant. If there was anyone that would do it, Sakura was the perfect candidate. She always had ice cream and would help her plot elaborate revenge schemes. Foregoing the traditional entry through the door, she skillfully scaled the side of the building after seeing her light on. Maybe she'd try to sneak up on her, give her a good scare. That would surely lift her spirits.

Only she didn't make it very far. Her blue eyes widened and she brought a hand over her mouth as she saw Sakura in a very compromising situation. Her legs wrapped around her former sensei as he thrust into her, almost savagely, against the wall. The blonde was shocked and her face flushed more and more with every grunt and groan. She didn't know what to do, so she fled.

.oOo.

Sakura cried out as she came, clutching onto him helplessly as he continued to drive himself into her, following her over the edge moments later. He panted heavily against her, his grip on her never slacking, only tightening. He still felt so tense under her hands. His breath hitched and suddenly his hand shot out against the wall. The loud slam nearly made her flinch against him. What did she do now? What could she say when this … mood hung in the air?

Her fingers softly curled in the hair at the nape of his neck. "Kakashi …"

He looked at her, all barriers down, and the conflict in his eyes pulled at her heart. She held his face in her hands, unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry," he softly muttered before he leaned forward and claimed her mouth. She gasped and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue in, coaxing her into responding. Slowly, her eyes closed and she kissed back in earnest.

Things were going to be okay. Weren't they?

In the morning, he was gone as usual and Sakura felt strange when she thought of him and how he had looked at her. Whatever their relationship was, whatever arrangement they had made, it was different now. She knew that much. Would he come to her again? Would he want to call it quits? Should they stop now before it got too deep?

She glanced at her clock and hurriedly got out of bed. Such thoughts would have to wait until she was done with her shift at the hospital.

It was at work that she learned about Kakashi's squad. Apparently out of the five only Kakashi and one other made it back alive. While Kakashi was pretty much unscathed, his comrade was holding onto his life with all that he had. The situation had been dire and she suddenly understood the look in his eyes.

That evening as she walked home, she spotted Ino arranging some flowers in front of her family's shop. It had been awhile since they had last seen each other and she found herself wanting to see a friendly face.

"Hey Ino."

Her friend didn't face her, didn't say a word. She pulled the old bouquet down and headed back inside the shop. Perturbed by her actions, Sakura followed her inside.

"Ino, you okay?"

"Just fine," she replied as she walked behind the counter.

"Can you talk for a minute?"

"I'm busy," she said as she opened a magazine.

"Yeah, I can see that you're obviously swamped. I just wanted to come and say hi, you wouldn't believe how weird my day has been."

Ino pushed the magazine to the side and finally looked up at her. "That's it? You just wanted to say hi. You don't want to tell me, your _best friend_, anything else?"

"No," Sakura replied hesitantly, trying to analyze her behavior.

"You sure?"

If Sakura didn't know any better she would think her friend was accusing her of something. "Am I supposed to tell you something?"

"I thought we were friends," Ino snapped.

"We are."

"Really? Then why didn't you tell me that you were sleeping with your sensei?" Sakura's mouth fell open and Ino continued on. "I know it's scandalous and all, but you could've told me!"

"What are you talking about? Who did you hear that from?" she tried to play it down.

"I have a very reliable source."

"Really? You know how some of those women in your gossip circles are. They can invent all sorts of things for entertainment. You can't trust them all."

Ino glowered at her. "I saw it with my own eyes! Or do you not believe that either? You want to call me a liar?"

"I-Ino …"

"I get that you think I'm a gossip queen, but we're _supposed_ to be friends. As juicy as your little secret is, I know when to keep my mouth shut."

"But you've blabbed my secrets before!"

"You mean that time I told Jinosuke that you stuffed your bra? That was no secret, Forehead. I've kept every important secret you've ever told me! I can't believe that you don't trust me!"

"It's not that …"

"Then what is it?" she demanded.

"It's just … it's complicated and …"

"Whatever, best _friend_. I have work to do."

"Ino."

But she didn't have anything else to say to her and she promptly ignored her as she left to the storage room. With a sigh, Sakura left the shop to go home.

.oOo.

Things with Kakashi were getting out of control. Every night she would tell herself that it was going to be it, the end. She'd tell him that he needed to go home before he'd have the chance to remove his shirt, that they couldn't keep doing this. Instead she found herself smiling at him and making the first move. It wasn't just sex anymore, she knew it somewhere deep inside. Perhaps that had to be the end of it, the acknowledgement of those feelings for him, to him. She had to tell him. Maybe he'd end it himself.

If this was going to be the end of them, then she'd throw the rules out. There was no need to keep them if they weren't going to play anymore.

Kakashi had been surprised when, as she was riding him, she pulled him to her and firmly planted her lips on his. He had pulled away but she held fast, telling him that she _wanted_ him to kiss her. So he did. He kissed her deeply, passionately, exploring the cavern of her mouth and appreciating the taste of her.

Their usual pace had slowed and the casual sex they enjoyed transformed into something sweeter. His fingers raked down her naked back as she sighed against him. The bruising force behind their kisses faded and he showered her in gentle brushes of his lips to her neck, her shoulder. He carefully maneuvered them so he was on top of her and he drew a toned leg over his hip. His rhythm was steady and unhurried - as if he knew that this could be the last time.

He caressed and kissed every part of her savoring every curve, every ripple of muscle around him, every noise that came from her pretty lips. How he loved those sounds. Loved. The realization struck him hard.

She panted and whimpered beneath him, grabbing his arms as that familiar coiling in her belly tightened. His fingers twined in her hair and his thumb smoothed across her cheek. He could break rules, too.

"Look at me," his husky voice sounded in her ears.

Sakura didn't hesitate, her passion glazed eyes met his that mirrored her inner most feelings. But she had to be mistaken …

Her legs quivered and he could feel her walls flutter around him with every push. She bit her lip and held his stare, she could barely see his lips move as he told her to come for him. Every cliché description of a sweeping orgasm she had ever read in trashy romance novels she felt at that moment. She couldn't fight it, she couldn't keep her eyes trained on his any longer. His name fell from her lips again and again as that sublime feeling washed over her.

She was absolutely breath taking, Kakashi thought as her passage squeezed and lured him to his release. His heart thundered in his ears and if she said anything, he didn't hear her. She didn't ask him to leave. No, she stopped him from getting out of bed and they shared a comfortable silence until they both fell into a peaceful slumber.

And this was where Sakura found herself. She had foolishly let herself fall in love with the person she shouldn't have. What was she thinking? She should have called it off a long time ago and now it was just going to hurt.

'_Maybe you deserve it,' _her inner self chimed. '_That's what happens when you're selfish.'_

She cast a look down at his face illuminated in the gentle morning light. Carefully, she slipped out of bed and picked up her clothes. She'd make him breakfast, she decided. He must have known that things had changed. They could talk over the meal and call it off and smooth out any details. Just because all good things came to an end didn't mean it had to have a bad ending.

'_You're just prolonging the inevitable.'_

Maybe, but it was her decision. She had gotten dressed but didn't even make it out of the room before his voice stopped her.

"You don't have to sneak out of your own room."

She spun around and smiled nervously. "I'm not sneaking. I was just going to make us something to eat."

"You don't have to," he rubbed at his eyes sleepily.

Of course she didn't. She could've slapped herself on the forehead for thinking of something so stupid.

"I'm not much of a breakfast person," he admitted.

She nodded. "I see."

"Sakura, last night …"

"I know, I broke the rules we set."

"I did, too."

She wanted to ask him why, but that would be pointless wouldn't it? He didn't seem to think so. He scratched his chin and muttered something about shaving before he turned to look at her and asked, "Why?"

She feigned ignorance. "Why what?"

"Why did you kiss me? Why now all of a sudden do you decide to break your rules?"

Did he have to be so confrontational? Couldn't they just have a nice morning and be done with it? Calm down, she told herself. He wasn't starting anything, he was simply asking a question. One that she found hard to answer.

"I … well, because - It was a stupid rule. What about you? You didn't have to …"

"It was a stupid rule."

Infuriating. Her brow twitched and he seemed amused. In seriousness he beckoned her over to sit back down. She walked back toward the bed but didn't sit.

"Sakura, I think we need to talk."

"Oh, okay."

"Things between us, I feel like they've changed."

She knew it. Of course Kakashi would be able to tell. Why did she think any differently? She only nodded.

He glanced at her and then back down at the blankets. "I know that this wasn't what we had agreed on."

Sakura took a deep breath. It was going to come any minute now. Why did it hurt to even think of him saying those words that would end it all? She wasn't supposed to get attached, she wasn't supposed to let it go farther than it had. Damn it, why were her eyes tearing up?

Kakashi's brow creased in concern. "Sakura?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to … I should have stopped it a long time ago. It's my fault."

He was intrigued now. "Your fault?"

"I should have ended this thing between us, before … before these feelings developed. We made it clear what this was supposed to be and I couldn't keep my side of it." She closed her eyes and hung her head as tears began to slip free. "I just couldn't stop myself," she hesitated, "from falling in love with you."

She sniffled and his gaze softened. "Sakura."

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. You can go."

"And if I don't want to?"

She looked up at him. "But … I ruined this whole agreement. Aren't you mad?"

"Not at all."

Kakashi was not making any sense. She broke the deal. He could see the confusion on her face and chuckled. "You didn't ruin anything, Sakura."

"But-"

"You're right, things changed between us long ago, last night only settled everything for me. May I propose a new arrangement?"

"New arrangement?"

He stood, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was wearing absolutely nothing, and approached her. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "I may not be a breakfast person, but I'm not opposed to lunch or dinner. I'm curious about your cooking skills."

"My-"

"I don't like holding hands or kissing in public, but I'll never deny my feelings for you should someone ask. We don't have to make up any more rules, we can just be together, and if it leads to sex then that's not so bad. What do you think?"

Sakura was stunned. Relieved. All of her worry was for nothing. Those times that she thought her mind was playing tricks on her, they were real. Kakashi did feel the same about her.

She smiled and wanted clarification. "So, you're saying that you feel the same way about me?"

"I do."

"And you just want to be with me?"

He softly smiled. "Only this."

"And nothing more?"

He shook his head. "And everything that comes with it."

She smiled his favorite smile. "I think I can do that."


	4. A Dance for Life

CC: So this is the last installment for the Poe Challenge at the KakaSaku LJ Comm! I'm so thrilled to be writing during the last week and I can't even begin to tell you how much fun it has been. Thank you so much to everyone who has read, kept up with, voted, and took part in the challenge. A huge thanks to zelha and nimblnymph for putting this together! So many amazing pieces were created by everyone that participated. Good luck to pockyphoto & oceansex I know you're both going to put out some wonderful fic!  
This hasn't been beta read so any mistakes are mine alone. I love everyone that has read or left a review. It means so much to me, you are all so awesome and I can't thank you enough. As usual, I don't own Naruto. Kishi does - though I love to make play dates. We were given two prompts for the final week and we got to choose one and we had to keep it a secret. The prompt I chose was: _Spirits Moving Musically_.

A Dance for Life  
Word count: 3,625  
Rating: T - some minor swearing

* * *

Sakura had never run so fast in her life before. The time her legs burned as she desperately searched for Sasuke in one of Orochimaru's hideouts was nothing compared to this. Her right eye burned as some of the blood that trickled down her face had gotten into it. She took a moment to pause and hide behind one of the majestic trees in the dense forest, hastily wiping the crimson from her cheek and temple. With her chakra levels dwindling, she needed to reserve what she had left in case …

She shook her head, she couldn't even stop to think things like that. Her ears perked at a snapping sound. She stood hunched over with her hands on her knees, trying to gather her thoughts. She was sure she had put enough distance between herself and _them_. She had always prepared herself for the day that she would take a life. Even when she was young and naïve and talked about saving lives, she knew that she would invariably have to take some as well - and she had. More than she'd like to acknowledge. More than she wanted to think about, ever.

But that was her duty. She was to protect the village, its people and her comrades. She was to mitigate any damages, any loss of life, but if it couldn't be helped - well, she'd better not hesitate. Now it was as if all of those lives she had taken, all of those restless souls, were back haunting her. As if the sight of a thousand-strong army approaching wasn't terrifying enough, they had to have the faces of those she had struck down before. This had to be a terrible dream. The only zombies she even toyed with the idea of were in those horror novels that Hinata secretly liked to read. Besides, these _things_ didn't resemble zombies and while they were hungry for flesh it was in a completely different sense.

Her lungs ached for air, even though she was gasping and sucking in as much as she could it didn't feel like enough. Another _snap_ sounded and she jerked up straight. She couldn't afford to stick around any longer, it didn't matter that she couldn't detect any other traces of chakra. She had to find someone, anyone, one of her friends, Ino, Kotetsu, Kakashi. Her heart leapt. _Kakashi_. Was he okay? He had to be.

There was a groaning noise and Sakura froze. No, no way. They couldn't have found her already. She strained to listen for anything else, any other noise that would give them away. A rabbit scurried by her and a flock of birds squawked overhead and nothing else.

_Move!_ She commanded herself. One foot after the other, she began to pick up the pace once again. Low hanging branches seemed to grab at her, their wood-knotted knuckles knocked against her shoulders and face. Garbled sounds rose behind her and she panicked. She just wanted to get away from the people trailing her. The sound seemed to get louder and she looked over her shoulder.

She hadn't even been aware that the ground in front of her fell away and sloped downward.

Her eyes darted along the trees and her footing slipped. She rolled and bounced and with flailing arms she caught herself as her feet made contact with the ground once again. She clawed at the earth with her hands and dug the sides of her zori into the slope as she continued to glide down. When she finally reached the bottom she tumbled over herself and landed quite ungracefully on her butt. She took a shaky breath as the adrenaline from the fall coursed through her. She quickly assessed herself, no more damage that what she had already sustained so that was good news. She pushed herself to her feet, dusted off her shorts, and continued about her way.

The large trench in the earth extended for miles on either side of her, so she kept heading west where hopefully she'd make contact with someone. She wasn't sure how much time had slipped by, but she needed to rest soon for it would greatly help restore her energy and her chakra reserves. She hadn't heard any noises in a while and though she'd like to think she was safe, she knew better than to believe it. She was debating whether or not to sacrifice some chakra to make a clone to keep watch while she got a little rest when she noticed something up ahead.

In the middle of all the muddy brown was a heap of blue and green lying incredibly still. With quick feet, but a cautious mind she made her way over to it and her breath hitched at the sight of that all too familiar silvery hair.

"Kakashi!"

She slid to her knees beside him and immediately pressed her hands to him to check for injuries. Come to find out, he was very much awake. He grabbed her arm and very nearly laughed out loud at the sight of a friendly face, a face that he didn't think he'd get to see again.

"Why are you laughing?" she had demanded, her voice high and worried.

"It's good to see you," he softly replied.

"What happened?" she asked as she poured what chakra she could into a nasty gash to his abdomen.

He retold his story, about how the sheer number of ninja they had faced only seemed to multiply with every one they took down, about how they kept being pushed back by their forces, divided by them, taken down by them.

Sakura nodded, her palms and fingers burning with the strenuous apply of her remaining chakra. She knew she should save it, it was stupid - dangerous even - to let that much of it go. Tsunade would be so angry with her for leaving herself so vulnerable. He didn't _look_ too badly injured though, a couple gashes and other minor cuts and that seemed to be it. Of course his chakra levels were low as well. They were stranded, nearly useless.

Sakura looked so tired. Behind all of the dirt and blood Kakashi could see the darkness under her eyes and how she fought to keep them open, and the way she lightly swayed concerned him.

"Sakura, are you alright?"

"Just tired and running a bit low on chakra."

"Then stop. Stop, I'll be fine." He pulled her hands away from his wound that still hadn't fully healed. She must have been seriously low if she couldn't treat even one.

"But you're bleeding and …"

"You're not going to kill yourself just to make me more comfortable. I'm just glad I got to see you."

She faintly smiled, she was glad too. It was starting to get dark and it would be cold soon. They needed to move and they needed to eat, luckily she had a few ration bars on her. It may not have been much, but it was better than nothing.

"Come on, let's move."

"Sakura …"

"Come on now, don't you know that this isn't the time for you to start acting like a lazy bum?"

"I resent that."

"I'm sure, now get up."

He grunted in pain as she pulled him into a sitting position, his head lolled back. She reached up to support him and she stiffened as her hand met something warm and slightly sticky. That was when she noticed the crimson matted in his hair. How did she not see that before? Her eyes widened as she pulled her hand away, blood dripping from her palm. She swiftly wiped it off on her shorts before he could get a look at her. When their eyes met, she knew that he knew he was pretty bad off.

Years of experience kept the panic off her face. She slipped into medic mode. If she could get them somewhere safer and possibly get a small fire going she'd have a heat source and a light source - considering the sun would be setting soon. She needed to get her chakra back, there wasn't much she could do for him like this, but there was something she could do to prepare. It was risky, but she didn't see any other choice. She pulled a syringe from her side pouch and uncapped it. She hesitated for a tiny moment, but then stuck her arm and depressed the plunger.

Kakashi barely had the time to catch her arm. "What was that?"

"It's to help replenish my chakra."

"Is that safe?"

She had read the results of the initial testing phase. She read about the kind of shock it could put your body through when a slow occurring natural process is forced to speed through its creation. Some subjects lost fingers, limbs, because of the severe burn to the body. Still, there were some who were able to handle it with only minor injuries.

Sakura looked to him. "It's been studied and even though nothing has been finalized, it was given to us for use in extreme situations."

He knew what that meant. They were fucked and she couldn't heal him if this didn't work. He almost laughed. He could die if this didn't work. She could die if this didn't work.

She quickly took out some bandages so she could wrap his head. She also had some antibiotics to fight off any infection and a coagulant to help stop the bleeding until she could treat him. It wasn't much but she had to do _something_ for him.

She could already feel the burning start in her arms and chest and made quick work of it. Kakashi complied fully with her, knowing that it was important that they move. She secured the bandage snugly and then offered a small smile. The burning sensation was turning into a sharp tingle and her legs were beginning to burn now. Ignoring it, she pulled him to his feet and supported his weight. She winced as she took the first step, her leg and abdomen ablaze with searing pain.

"Sakura," he spoke softly. "You never told me if that was safe."

She turned her head to look at him and their eyes met. She trained her gaze back at the ground and took another step. "I'll let you know when I find out."

.xXx.

They had made their way north-west, slowly working their way out of the valley. Sakura was a natural at controlling chakra and as her body was assaulted with the intense generation of it, she immediately sent it where it was needed and it became easier to support him and to climb. She felt a little detached from her limbs, but so far it wasn't bad. They made it out at the perfect time to set up camp and Sakura went to work quickly doing so.

She propped him against the trunk of a tree and offered him some water and a ration bar, which he took gladly and then he watched her as she began pulling items from her medical kit.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"That's my question for you."

"Sakura."

His tone was the tone she remembered from her youth when he was giving orders, when he was done playing and was completely serious. She glanced up at him and shrugged. "I feel okay."

"Well, if it's working then you can give it to me too."

"No!"

"If we get attacked I need to be able to fight."

"Which is why your injuries come first. I can't have you experiencing what comes with it while your body is healing. Besides, with the way your eye eats chakra it could be very dangerous for you."

He didn't argue back and took another bite of the bar she had given him. He relaxed his head back as her cool chakra spread into his body. The noises he had made during their ascent and the ones she heard from within him had her worried about broken ribs which lead to the idea of punctured lungs and she couldn't have that. She'd check and work on his chest and abdomen first. Her heart raced at the thought of a terrible head injury he might have sustained but she knew that head wounds always bled the worst and so they usually looked worse than they were.

What was important was that she had some chakra now and she would be able to heal him. '_There's no need to panic_,' she told herself.

Kakashi winced as he felt the torn muscle pull back together. Healing was always an intense procedure, but it was always more so when they were on the field and pressed for time. He knew Sakura would do a more than efficient job, but that didn't stop the fact that it hurt.

"You want something for pain?" she asked without breaking her concentration.

"No, I'll be fine."

He grunted and she paused. "You have a broken rib, two actually. It's going to hurt so if you want something for the pain I can give it to you."

"And if we-"

"I can give you a low dose, enough to numb the sensation but not impair you in case… something does happen."

He nodded and she turned away from him to rummage through her kit.

Kakashi wasn't sure if it was because of the blood loss, or from all the fighting and running, or because his chakra was dangerously low, but he was really tired. He didn't want to argue with her, he knew she would do whatever was in her power to help him. His eyes felt heavy and he was warm next to the fire. He struggled to pop his eyes open again once he realized he had nodded off.

Exhaustion was dangerous when you were on the run and nothing proved that more than when Sakura sat up. Before she could move to administer the medication to him a kunai whizzed through the air. Kakashi hadn't even heard it, hadn't sensed anyone nearby and his reflexes were sluggish. He heard her sharp gasp and heard the bottle fall from her hand, but his eyes only saw the kunai stuck in her chest, the entire triangular blade vanished beneath her skin.

His stunned wide eyes met hers and the second in which he held her gaze seemed to last an eternity. Her chin quivered as she exhaled and she toppled backwards.

"Sakura!"

Kakashi reached for her. Pain coursed and shocked his body throughout before his world was swept away by darkness.

.xXx.

That song, he knew that song. He counted the beat in his head - 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1, 2, 3, 4 - as the contemporary gagaku ensemble entertained the crowd.

"Sakura!"

Kakashi pulled himself from his daze out the window. The valley below them bathed in light from the full moon was beautiful with the evening flowers in bloom. The sky was so clear and the stars were so bright it was almost surreal. Truly a romantic evening, just as was promised.

"Oh Sakura, come here!"

Kakashi turned at the sound of a familiar female voice, but he was taken back by the people before him. Dressed in elegant gowns and fashionable suits, the polished marble floor was full of dancing bodies to the haunting melody of the hichiriki that filled the air.

His gaze settled upon Sakura, her long roseate locks were pulled up into a fancy 'do, delicate tendrils hung curled along her neck and framed her face. Her dress, her simple yet classy white dress formed and flowed in all the right places, hugging curves and accentuating her toned and slender physique. But her eyes - those piercing jade orbs that drew him in, that smiled along with her, that told all kinds of secrets that her petal soft lips would never utter - was truly his undoing.

His feet moved without hesitation, skillfully side stepping and weaving him through the throng of dancing people until he reached her. A smile he couldn't fight spread his lips as he tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of him. It wasn't often she saw him maskless and in a suit and not one that made him look more handsome than she already thought he was. The subtle touches of silver and grey - the cuff links, the tie, the chest pocket handkerchief - made him look all the more stunning.

Her lips turned into a warm smile. "Kakashi, I didn't think I'd see you here."

"You're here aren't you?"

A faint blush spread across her cheeks. "What kind of answer is that?"

"I believed it was an honest one."

Her smile widened. "So, are you going to ask me to dance?"

"Would you like me to?"

"Fine, I'll just stand here and watch everyone else while-"

His hand slipped to hers and he pulled her out to the floor. Their hands folded together and his other arm settled comfortably at her waist. She peered up at him from under long lashes and he grinned as began leading her through the steps. Their bodies moved in synch; twisting, swaying, and moving in long strides. Her heart fluttered as his fingers tightened at her waist.

Sakura smiled and stared into his eyes. "I didn't know you could dance."

"You never asked."

"Would you have said yes if I had?"

"Possibly."

She chuckled. "It's a shame I never asked before then."

He spun her outward and then pulled her in, smirking at the surprise on her face. He leaned in close to her, their noses nearly touching. "A shame indeed."

His mouth was so close to hers. She wanted to tilt her head a little more, close the remaining distance and feel those lips against hers. He sent her twirling away from him again, his feet shuffling to the beat as he approached and circled behind her so her arm was crossed at her middle. His chest pressed to her back and he rested his chin at the temple of her head. Sakura was so warm wrapped up in his hold. They swayed gently to the music.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"You know what for."

"You did your best," he supplied.

"But it wasn't good enough."

"It was plenty. I'm here with you now so does that mean that I didn't do my best?"

She was quiet for a moment. "No, I know you always do whatever is in your ability."

"Then why do you sound so sad?"

"It's just the knowledge that I wasn't able to save you … or myself. It's knowing that so many of our friends are going to be hurt."

"Look, Sakura."

They paused in their dance and she opened her eyes to look in front of her. Her mother was standing off the main floor by the large balcony looking in at her and Kakashi. Just further out was a man that resembled Kakashi in a very striking manner, a man that she recognized from a picture that he kept in his pocket that he believed no one knew about. He stood with a woman at his side, trading knowing glances with each other.

His voice reached her ears, it was calm and tender. "We'll be reunited with them all again one day."

She smiled and was taken by surprise as he whirled her out. He watched as her dress flared around her and then he drew her back to him, dipping her.

He studied her face; the softness of her eyes and the pink that caressed her cheeks. "Until then, you're stuck with me."

He slowly lifted her back up and she draped her arms over his shoulders. A pleasant fragrance of the evening flowers wafted in through the open windows. In the golden light of the dance hall and against the back drop of the night sky, she felt something pull at her heart like the first time he had kissed her.

She pressed her mouth to his, uncaring any longer if anyone was watching them in the middle of the floor. He held her face in his hands, reciprocating the kiss with just as much tender passion. There wasn't any other woman that made him feel so vulnerable and fragile and yet so complete.

She pulled away and took a steadying breath. "That doesn't sound too bad."

He smiled and then looked away, almost nervously. Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "What is it?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Well, I know we have plenty of time and all but …"

He averted his eyes but she wouldn't let him get away. "Kakashi? Just tell me."

"Well, would you like to meet my parents?"

Her smile grew and she nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to."

He let his hand rest on her lower back as he guided her away from the dance floor and toward an infinity that they would share side by side.

.xXx.

Shizune was the one to report the losses they obtained to Tsunade. Slowly, numbers and names trickled in. Lists were comprised of those alive, missing, presumed dead, and K.I.A. Ceremonies were held day after day and grieving came alongside healing and rebuilding.

Neji had been the one to find them, his Byakugan recruited and put to use for search and rescue.

"It was the strangest thing," he recounted to Tsunade later that evening after returning their bodies home. "When I found them, they were embraced almost as if …"

"As if what?" she asked, her voice betraying how emotionally drained she was.

"They were together almost as if they had been dancing."


End file.
